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TRP: Hansel, Mishka, and Roddy (Bethie)
Coyote: at 7:00 PM Mishka's estate, directly after the Diva fight. Mishka brings the Sugar Glider to his estate so the party can rest there, since it is coincidentally somehow just outside the legal bounds of Skyport, due to an odd documentation error no one can trace. Mishka stepped into his estate for the first time in three weeks and was immediately overwhelmed. The place was wrecked. Glass crunched under his feet and he spun in a circle, inspecting. Windows smashed to get in. Empty spaces on the walls with paintings missing. Everything obvious and expensive, gone. For... fuck's sake. The fact his house had been looted seemed extremely obvious, and yet somehow it still caught him off-guard. Samantha. Bethie. Bethie was dead. He still remembered the shock of appearing in the kitchen and driving a kitchen knife into her, then hosting Samantha. Hansel and Sugar had been just outside the door. In the kitchen. He pinched his wrist hard, and it stung more than usual. There were bruises forming there. But it was over. His voice was a little rough when he glanced back at Hansel. "Bethie's in the kitchen, still." The entryway smelled faintly like a dead body. "We ought to bury her. I can send a note to, ah, her... family, and friends, if they're still around. Make a marker." Izzy: at 7:08 PM Hansel had been uninterested in leaving Mishka's side since they'd gotten back to the warehouse, and this didn't change anything. It was grisly, but it needed to be done, and Hansel had kept an eye on where the others had wandered off to once they'd arrived at the estate. They were all fine. Safe now. Some-fucking-how they had all stayed alive. But not Mishka's servants. He hadn't been able to do anything about that -- one killed, one hosted and missing. He could still see the afterimage of Mishka, black-eyed, coming out of the kitchen, hear the choking sounds that had announced his arrival and Diva's voice coming out of him. Hansel rubbed at his eyes. It was over now. Never again. "Yeah. I can do that. You got a shovel somewhere?" Coyote: at 7:13 PM Mishka choked out a laugh. "I mean, probably." He grabbed a table-cloth and wrapped up the body, then began to drap it. Her chubby face was thin now, and skin was sloughing off. Sorry, Bethie. You were good to me. You didn't deserve that. I hope you went somewhere quiet, afterwards. "There's probably a shovel in the shed by the stable." Izzy: at 7:18 PM Hansel nodded and dropped a hand on Mishka's shoulder, briefly. He remembered where things were from the sketchy map Goro had paid for, fucking months ago, more than he remembered from having stayed here for a few days. That seemed longer ago, somehow. "Be right back. Hopefully no one stole the fuckin' gardening tools." Muse: at 7:24 PM Only a few moments after Hansel left, some thudding noises could be heard from the direction of the wine cellar. The noises were followed by a certain bard tripping over the top step and sprawling on the floor, mostly-full bottles of wine scattering everywhere. "I'm fine!" he yelled to no one in particular, and set about to picking them up. Except he'd happen to land on one of them, and a bright red stain was all over the front of his shell. Peachy. Later problem. Now problem was something else. Roddy glanced around and happened to see Mishka- and some sort of cloth bundle. "Did you see where Hansel went?" he asked, glancing around. He wanted to hang out with his dad. Coyote: at 7:29 PM Mishka itched a little. He could see the clump of bushes outside where he sent Nixie. He checked it over Roddy's shoulder. There was pink and white showing through the leaves, and a smaller bundle of dark hair and dark clothing. Nixie could handle it. He'd taught her, and she was clever and sweet. It'd be fine. If Mishka went over there now, he'd just fucking scare the kid again. Mishka focused on Roddy, and the body. "Hans?" he said. "Ah, he's grabbing a shovel. Hey, d'you want to help us bury Bethie? Or maybe you could make a marker for us. You seem like the sort that would be good at that. Maybe write something nice to put on her stone." Muse: at 7:35 PM "Who's Bethie?" Roddy asked, wandering a little closer. By the smell of it he'd already gotten into the wine he was hauling around. "She's dead then? Issat what this is?" he asked, reaching down to poke at the sheet a little. Coyote: at 7:41 PM Mishka watched Roddy poke the sheet. Very gently, he reached to push Roddy's hand away, then stopped before skin contact and pulled back. He began pulling the body outside so Roddy would stop poking it. "Bethie was a seamstress from Skyport. Her husband died at sea, I'm afraid, and she was getting old, and her eyes were going, so she couldn't sew any longer. I hired her and her daughter Samantha on to my household. She was very kind, and very bawdy. I... liked her." Izzy: at 7:48 PM Hansel rounded the corner, shovel over his shoulder, to see Roddy beside Mishka. From the way he wobbled on his feet, he'd already started drinking. Lucky little bastard. Maybe Hansel could convince Mishka to join Roddy, and let him take care of this. He was both too tired and too riled up to find the words to do that, right now. Might be a while before he had much in the way of words at all. Roddy was easier, though. "Hey, kid. You did good today." There had been a moment there when he'd been too far away to help, and the kid had looked bad off, but he'd taken care of himself. Muse: at 7:58 PM "Hansel!" Roddy lit up when his dad showed up, tottering over and giving him a one-armed hug. The other was still holding on to several bottles of wine. "I got booze," he offered. "And Mishka was tellin' me about- Bethie. She's dead now. I can help with burying!" Coyote: at 7:59 PM Mishka continued silently dragged the body outside. Izzy: at 8:04 PM "Yeah, Bethie was -- great." She'd reminded him of Elitash, once or twice. Hansel had wondered if that was part of why Mishka had hired her, but there hadn't been time to ask. Didn't matter now. They were both dead. No time to be sad about it, either. Hansel put a hand on Mishka's shoulder again, to stop him. "Hey. Roddy, can you help me carry her? Mishka can hold the wine." He made himself smile. "We'll all get fuckin' plastered once she's taken care of, yeah?" The kid was halfway there already, but he was big -- he was probably stronger than Mishka. It would be better to not drag her. More dignified. And less chance of her coming apart any further in the shroud. Muse: at 8:08 PM "Okay," Roddy agreed easily, promptly handing Mishka the wine. "I'm a'ready kinda drunk," he informed Hansel. And then started snickering. That was funny. He bent down, hefting up one end of the wrapped up body. "Where we takin' her?" he asked. Coyote: at 8:12 PM "The treeline, just beyond the vineyard. A few hundred yards that way. Where the birch tree sits on that small cliff aside the shore. She used to sit there." It'd be far away enough that Sam could visit her whenever she liked, but the presence of the grave wouldn't be... oppressive. Mishka led towards it. Izzy: at 8:22 PM Hansel kept an eye on Roddy, in case he managed to trip over his own feet or something, but he was doing well. Keeping his head up. He seemed to be taking everything in stride, although Hansel wasn't oblivious to the fact that he'd beelined for the wine. Seemed pretty fucking hypocritical for him to mention it, though. They made it out to the birch tree and he motioned for Roddy to gently set Bethie's body down, then drove the shovel into the dirt. Felt better to be doing something. As he dug, he jerked his head between Roddy and Mishka. "You gonna share?" Muse: at 8:31 PM "I caaaan," Roddy said, heaving a dramatic sigh as he sat down just far enough away to not get hit by the shovel or flying dirt. He had grabbed enough to share, although the initial plan hadn't been to share with Mishka. Though he had gotten it out of his cellar so technically it was his. Roddy wasn't paying for it unless Mishka insisted. "Hey you know we didn't die though!" Roddy said happily, tugging a bottle away from Mishka. "I mean it's sad Bethie did but we're all okay! That's a good thing!" Though it had been close. Surrounded by darkness, feeling the life draining out of him. Still had some good bumps and scrapes. Roddy stared off at the horizon, his grin getting fixed. He'd- had a real close call. Real close. Coyote: at 8:35 PM Mishka let the bottle go as soon as Roddy laid hands on it, moving a step back again. Turtle Kid didn't even seem are of the boundary thing. Mishka waved at Hansel. "I'll be back." He made his way back to the house to grab some wood for a rudimentary headstone. Izzy: at 8:45 PM Hansel watched Mishka go out of the corner of his eyes. It wouldn't make any goddamn sense for him to disappear now, and there was no Diva left to hurt him. Still. He knew he wouldn't be able to settle completely until Mishka was back. He tried to make it be enough that he'd said he'd be back, and not said where he was going. Roddy was fine. That was important. They were all -- well, they were all alive, even Ripley, and that was what he should be focusing on. As he dug a grave. "You're right, kid." Again, he made himself smile, though when he glanced up at Roddy, it became easier, more natural. "Wish we could all ..." He trailed off, and stopped to jam the shovel into the dirt again, scrutinizing Roddy more carefully. "You are doin' all right, right? That shit in the sewers was fucked up. It's all right if you're not." Muse: at 8:56 PM Roddy jolted a little at his name. "Huh?" he said, looking up at Hansel. "Oh. Uh. I'm uh. I'm..." he trailed off, turning the bottle round and around in his hands. "I think I nearly died today, Hansel," he said. His voice really shaky and watery. "It was dark and I couldn't see and- and I think- I think I almost passed out? And- and- and I was scared." He let out a hiccupy sob, wiping at his eyes. Izzy: at 9:05 PM Oh, shit. Yeah -- he should have realized sooner that not all of them were so used to brushes with death, especially Roddy. He just ... forgot, sometimes. They'd all grouped around him on the edge of the darkness, and he'd felt Roddy's shell bump into his back, glanced away for a second and seen him healing himself. He'd been so goddamn capable. Hansel stepped up out of the shallow pit he'd dug, leaving the shovel behind to kneel next to the kid. He remembered Roddy flinching away, the last time he'd touched him, so he only sat close enough that the kid could initiate it himself if he wanted to. "Hey, hey. It's all right, kid. We all made it out. You were so fuckin' brave in there. You kept us all alive, y'know?" Muse: at 9:18 PM Hansel was coming closer. That was- nice actually. Roddy leaned against him, resting his head on Hansel's shoulder. "Don't feel brave. Didn't- didn't heal anyone except myself and that one teifling. And Goro." He was too sober for this. Roddy took a long swig from his bottle, hoping that it'd help him forget. But hadn't drank enough for that yet. For now he just kept crying on Hansel's shoulder. Izzy: at 9:29 PM "Yeah, well, you saved that tiefling's life and your own, then. And Goro's. That's important, all right?" Carefully, he put his arm around the kid. "I know it was fuckin' scary, but you showed up anyway, and you kept the group strong. It all might've fallen apart without you there. We all got parts to play. You did yours really fucking well." This was all simple, to him. It hadn't always been, but he couldn't really remember, anymore, what it was like to be where Roddy was. He wasn't sure when these things had gotten easy, or what he could say to make it easier. Probably not a words thing. Probably more about experiences. He'd just rather Roddy didn't have those fucking experiences, was all. Muse: at 9:39 PM Roddy nodded slowly, leaning into the hug. He had done well. He'd- gotten that golem to attack him instead of the sorcerers. Instead of Sugar. Sugar was nice and sweet and- and fragile. Could still remember coming out of his shell and- seeing her lying too-still on the ground. "Scary though," he muttered. "And dangerous. Don't- don't like that." Izzy: at 9:44 PM "Mm." Hansel nodded, relieved Roddy wasn't shying away. He knew that when Jonn got skittish, he could pick him up and eventually calm him down. Roddy was a bit too big for that, and he didn't know yet if that sort of thing might just freak him out more. This was better, anyway. He was calmer -- he'd gotten a bit of it out of his system. There'd be more to come, Hansel supposed, but he'd be there when it did. "Yeah, can't say I'm a fuckin' fan of it either, kid. We'll try to avoid shit like that in the future, eh?" Muse: at 9:50 PM Roddy let out a wet, choked laugh. "Adventurers, don't think we're gonna do that well." It was- it was fine. He'd just have to get used to it. Somehow. This was nice though. Having someone to go to afterwards, get hugs, reassurance. Was really nice. Roddy closed his eyes, trying to take a moment to just- forget. Coyote: at 9:54 PM Mishka came back lugging the back of a solid oak chair. He'd broken off the front so all that remained was the curved, solid back and two legs. "This was the best I could think of. It's stained, so it'll last a long time, better than most get. Thick, too. The legs can stabilize it, act as stakes in the ground. Can one've you drive it in? I can't. Delicate wrists, you know. Oh, the labor." And he flopped on the ground. Turtle Kid seemed... upset. Which was natural. Mishka had hung back longer than necessary. Wanted to give the kid his moment. But he hadn't wanted to stay away from Hansel too long-- hadn't wanted to freak him out. Izzy: at 10:06 PM Hansel patted Roddy on the back and pushed himself up again. Kid was feeling better. Mishka was being a smartass. It was going to be fine. Deep breath. He took the back of the chair and held it firmly, drawing one of his axes to tap into the soft earth until it could stand on its own, working up to larger swings until it was well-settled. Something simple. An easy task to accomplish. He still had to finish digging, and he was looking forward to it in a perverse way. Less chance of fucking up when he didn't have to talk. Once the marker stood up to a hardy shaking, he turned to Mishka. "Got an inscription in mind?" Coyote: at 10:08 PM Mishka traced a finger across the word, burning in letters. HERE LIES ELIZABETH ANDERSON LIVED A HARD LIFE AND YET TREATED EVERYONE SOFTLY “Rest in peace, you old bag,” Mishka said. “I’ll look after Sam as best I can. May you enjoy all the bar brawls you like in whatever heaven you wind up in.” Muse: at 10:12 PM Roddy made a noise of protest when Hansel got up, but didn't try to stop him. He stayed put, sitting cross legged by the grave-side. "To- to Bethie," he said, saluting with his bottle and downing more of it. "She- sounded like a good lady." Izzy: at 10:17 PM Hansel glanced back at Roddy with a faint smile. The kid was doing his best. More than some of them could say. He brushed Mishka's hand with his, offering to link their fingers together for a moment. "I can take care of this, if you want," he said lowly. "I'm sure you've got shit to clean up in the estate." Coyote: at 10:22 PM Mishka held it tight for a brief moment, feeling the heat of it. The calluses on Hansel's hand where he held the trident. The familiar shape of his fingers. It was always a comfort. Always. "I need, ah. I ought to go find Samantha." She lived here. Samantha didn't really talk to people, really, and she wouldn't know if it was safe to come back. "I'll be down in the city. I'll be back in an hour or so--" Always that. He'd always be back. It made him feel better. He switched to Elvish, briefly. "I like this," he said. "I like your new kid." He drew away and headed down the path. Muse: at 10:33 PM Roddy watched Mishka go for a bit, and then pulled himself to his feet as Hansel got back to digging. "I can help," he volunteered. "Just gimma a-" and at that moment he tripped on- something and nearly fell, only steadying himself on the tree at the last minute. "Hansel. Hansel I think I'm too drunk." He laughed a bit, keeping a tight grip on the tree. Mishka was trying to go find the lady. That was actually kinda nice of him. Hey didn't Roddy have someone he was supposed to find? "Jonn!" he blurted. "M'supposed to meet Jonn tonight. So's he knows I didn't die." Izzy: at 10:39 PM Hansel turned at Roddy's offer to help, preparing to brush it off gently -- or maybe let him, if it seemed like it might help him, too -- but shifted to dropping his shovel and getting ready to catch the kid if he fell. Then he couldn't help a little amusement at the kid's sudden realization that he was drunk, and it turned to immediate alarm at the mention of Jonn. He tried to keep it from showing. "When did you ... When did you make that plan?" He tried to think of any time Jonn could have gotten near them. "When did you see Jonn?" Then he processed the last part. Wanted to ask if that had been Roddy's idea or Jonn's, because he was sure it had been innocent if it had been Roddy's but -- he wasn't sure what ulterior motives Jonn might have had in asking Roddy to meet him in the city at night, presumably alone. Muse: at 10:43 PM "Warehouse," Roddy said. "Snuck off, Larkin didn't notice!" He was proud of that. Larkin was a good sneaky but Roddy was good at it too! "Jonn was onna roof. We talked. I like Jonn he's nice." Being drunk was nice. Roddy just felt all floaty and fuzzy and not scared or nothing. Should do this more often, being scared was the wooooooorst. Izzy: at 10:47 PM Hansel grimaced a bit. He'd been so close. If Mishka had seen him -- fuck. What had he even been doing there? Goddamn idiot kid -- he was supposed to stay with Finch, stay with his guild, and -- and Roddy had no idea what he was like. Jonn was real fuckin' good at being nice, and then he did shit like what he'd done to Mishka without even thinking about it. "I think ..." he started slowly. "Listen, kid, you're pretty fuckin' plastered. I don't think you need to be wandering off to meet anyone. Where were you supposed to meet? Maybe I can go, let'im know you're fine." Muse: at 10:51 PM Okay yeah. That made sense. Lots of thieves and stuff out there and all- Roddy should know he worked with a bunch of 'em. "Aright," he agreed easily. "Sausage. Where it used to be," he added for clarification. "An- and you tell me if he's okay too okay?" he asked, reaching out to pat Hansel's arm and staring at him with drunken seriousness. "I like Jonn." Izzy: at 10:59 PM Okay. That made things easier. Good. Roddy would be here, and safe, and Hansel would go meet his goddamn disaster child. Which would also be fine. And it was at the Sausage, which made him think it had been Jonn's suggestion, and that put a pit in his stomach because he genuinely didn't know if Jonn had actually wanted to make sure Roddy was fine, or if he had some other fucking plan. Either way. It would be fine. He would deal with it -- Roddy shouldn't have to. Fuck, it made it harder that the kid really liked Jonn, though. He made himself smile again. If he had any way of being sure that Jonn would never flip and hurt Roddy, this wouldn't feel so fucking bad. "Yeah, I'll let you know. I'm, uh -- I'm glad you two get along. And you and Luci. And Nixie. It's good." He cleared his throat and stepped up, keeping hold of Roddy. "Sit down, all right? You're not in any shape to be diggin' graves. I got this." Muse: at 11:03 PM "I like Luci and Nixie too," Roddy said happily. Right. Sit, so Hansel could work. But first- he leaned forwards a little bit and half-hugged, half-collapsed against Hansel. "Your the bestest dad," he said. And then let go and thunked down on his butt. Izzy: at 11:07 PM END Category:Text Roleplay